Apparatus for playing a table game



Aug. 22, 1939. o. KIND 2,170,373

APPARATUS FOR PLAYING A TABLE .GAME.

Filed Dec. 10, 1936 fizrenior: 43 Uscarlfi'nd 6y I 2: MW awa I Patented Aug. 22, 1939 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR armn'zz I PLAYING A TABLE GAME Oscar Kind, Rodenkirchen, near Cologne,

Germany Application December 10, 1936, Serial No. 115,210 In Germany December 18, 1935 2 Claims (01. 273-429) This invention relates to table games of the kind in which two players endeavour, by means of a corresponding movement of athrust device connected with a playing figure, to bring a sliding or rolling ball member into a definite position on a playing table, for example in goals provided at opposite endsiof the playing table.

According to the present invention it is possible to obtain a considerably greater approximation to the actual game of football through the fact that the playing field, within the limits corresponding to the actual football field, is divided up into equal sections preferably by longitudinal and transverse lines. In this way it is possible to regulate the progress of the individual playing V figures from one of these sections to another, in order to attain the ball member to be hit or to take some other position of attack or defense with certain rules'of play. This could be done for example by means of dice played alternately by the players. In particular if the number of the playing figures is selected according to the number of players in the actual game of football and each is provided with a kicking device, the opportunities and sequence of play of each individual playing figure of each side can be varied so as to provide a greater approximation to the actual game of football. In this way it is not only possible to make the game more interesting but by endeavouring to obtain advantages in position from the conditionsarising during play valuable instruction can be given to football players.

The invention moreover extends to the tee nical construction of the playing figure which gives a kicking movement to the playing ball by the depression of a movable part of the figure whereby a current of air is blown out against the playing ball so that in accordance with the direction and duration of the air current the ball can be set in motion.

Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawing which illustrates by way of example the table game according to the invention and in which:

Figure 1 shows the table game on a reduced scale,

Figure 2 shows diagrammatically on a larger scale one form of construction of the playing figure according to the invention,

Figure 3 shows a vertical section of the same playing figure,

'Figure 4 is a similar section through another example of construction of the playing figure.

The playing table i comprises a rectangular .nection while being freely movable.

' formed for example by parallel longitudinal and transverse lines 5, 6 suitably spaced from each other. In order to still further approximate actual football play the playing field is preferl0 ably provided in the middle with a transverse limit 9 and a circular central field I!) in accordance with the rules customary in real football p y- Eleven playingfigures ll, l2, are provided for each of the persons playing. On the drawing these figures are indicated by a circle, one side being distinguished from the other by a cross inside the circle. In practice the figures may be distinguished by colours and may be given marks 2Q to indicate their characters such as goalkeeper, back, wingor forward. This is particularly neeessary if the rules require special movements for certain kinds of playing figures or impose other restrictions.

The separate playing figures are provided with a kicking device depending on the blowing effect of a current of air which can be produced by depressing the movable part of the figure with a finger.

In the construction of the playing figure according to Figures 2 and 3 the lower part consists of a cylindrical hollow body 21 which is formed from metal for example by pressing, casting or drawing and whose lower opening is closed by a bottom piece 20, preferably of arched formation; which is hermetically connected with the lower edge of the hollow cylinder 2|, for example by soldering or other means. Inside the hollow space of the cylinder is a piston body 23 which is inserted so that it can move in the cylinder and is likewise preferably constructed as a hollow body from metal or other suitable material in such a way that it contacts with the short cylindrical piston part on the inner wall of the hollow cylinder 2| so as to make an airtight con- A hollow pin 24 which is decreased to a smaller diameter is joined on to this annular part and contains the upper end of the helical spring 25 the lower end of which is supported on the bottom part 28. The travel of the piston 23, which is initiated by the spring 25, -is limited by the inwardly turned edge of the hollow cylinder 2 I. The hollow cylinder 2! is provided with an air outlet 22 more or less directly over the bottom part 20 so that on depression of the piston in the hollow cylinder 2| the compressed air can be blown out with a. certain degree of force which is controlled by the quickness of the piston movement.

A'small plate 26 which is of a cylindrical construction between its two plane end surfaces is preferably used as a ball body when using the playing figures. In order to make the ball-body move, -the playing figure and the ball body-are arranged in such a way that the air outlet 22 is directed against the surface of the ball body 26. In order to facilitate correct adjustment a mark 21 corresponding to the air outlet is preferably provided on the outside of the hollow cylinder 2| The piston 23 is now moved downwards against the tension of the sp ng by means of vertical pressure of a finger on the hollow pin. By means of the air current flowing out through the air outlet 22 the ball body receives an impulse the strength of which can be varied within wide limits by the speed and extent of the depression of the piston. According to the strength of the impulse the ball body comes to a standstill at a greater or smaller distance from the playing figure.

The two parts, namely the cylinder and piston may be constructed of a plastic mouldable ma-- terial such as Bakelite (registered trade-mark) for example in the shape of a football player whose movable head forms the pressing pin of the air piston.

According to Figure 4 the playing figure may also be constructed as a hollow body of soft rubber its lower part having thick walls I3 in order to give the figure the necessary rigidity, the upper part I4 having a thin wall so that it may be easily compressed with the finger. The lower walls I3 may be on its lower surface. l8 plain or formed in a manner that the hollow IE will be tight on the surface of the game table. In order to form the air outlet 22 it is preferable to use a metal tube I 5 which can be vulcanised in a short distance above the surface l8. A hole I! which is covered by the finger during use is preferably provided at the thin wall part of the hollow body so that after use the hollow space may be filled more easily with air.

Instead of using a small plate sliding on its base it is also-possible to use a spherical or more or less dice shaped ball body which rolls on the playing surface. With a dice shaped ball body the surfaces can be provided with markings which can be used at any time for determining the next stroke in the game, also guiding surfaces move forward by two steps into the ball section I6 to the position of the ball body 26 nearest the attacking figure Ha. As the black goal as not directly accessible from here on account of the opposing attacking figure in between, the player endeavours, by strategic movement of the kicking device to move the ball body two sections further and sideways in the direction of the broken line and thereby bring it into a position which he can still reach by means of the number of shots still remaining to his side and from which a kick into the goal is possible. If he cannot reach such a position the white player can under some circumstances use his two remaining shots to get a playing figure in a position to a favourable shot by the opposing side.

The rules of play can naturally be varied as may be required. Also, through the combination of a thinking game with one depending on manual dexterity by means of the auxiliary means described it is possible to extend the invention to other games, apart from football, hockey and the like, such as for example naval and military ames in which the ball body has a different object.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

1. In an apparatus for playing a table game, including a plane playing surface, and a game piece movable along said surface: a hollow playing figure, comprising a pair of opposed cupshaped members telescopically connected together, said members being relatively slidable to compress air trapped therein, means limiting the sliding of said members in both directions, the outer of said members being formed to provide an orifice therein adjacent the bottom thereof for the projection of a jet of compressed air therethrough, said orifice being formed and positioned to project said jet at right angles to the vertical axis of said figure, and the rim of the inner cup-shaped member being adapted to close said orifice before said inner member reaches its limit of movement in an air compressing direction.

2. In an apparatus for playing a table game, including a plane playing surface, and a game piece movable along said surface: a hollow playing figure, said figure having a base, said figure itself being formed to provide means for compressing air therein, said figure being'formed to provide an orifice therein adjacent the base thereof for the projection of a jet of compressed air therethrough, said orifice being formed and positioned to project said jet of air at right angles to the vertical axis of said figure, and said figure being formed to provide means remote from said orifice for indicating the direction of flow of said air jet.

OSCAR KIND. 

